NBA

[Gozu]

Off the top of my head I can think of at least 7-8 games Kobe has single handedly cost the Lakers this season. In one game he missed more shots than Gasol & Bynum combined attempted!

He's always been a chucker but having Shaq masked that (over those 8 years together the Lakers actually had a better W/L record when Kobe was out), he kept chucking for a few years after Shaq left too and then when they got Gasol he had to pull his head in and won a couple of championships.

With Phil gone now he's gone back to being the coach killing chucker he was under Rudy T.

A 'coach killing chucker' that surely would be close to front runner for MVP

Turn it up, he'd be lucky to be in the top five in voting.

I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron doubles the amount of votes Kobe will get.

[Grahaml]

Off the top of my head I can think of at least 7-8 games Kobe has single handedly cost the Lakers this season. In one game he missed more shots than Gasol & Bynum combined attempted!

He's always been a chucker but having Shaq masked that (over those 8 years together the Lakers actually had a better W/L record when Kobe was out), he kept chucking for a few years after Shaq left too and then when they got Gasol he had to pull his head in and won a couple of championships.

With Phil gone now he's gone back to being the coach killing chucker he was under Rudy T.

A 'coach killing chucker' that surely would be close to front runner for MVP

Turn it up, he'd be lucky to be in the top five in voting.

I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron doubles the amount of votes Kobe will get.

Agreed. I'm not sure he's even a lock for top 10 this season. Given how many shots he gets he should be raging hot favourite.

[brod]

Cmon while we're getting stuck into kobe....he had 7 TOs in the game as well

[brod]

"The bottom line is, he's our guy," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "The shots he took, I'd give it to him again. I don't know how many shots he missed near the rim -- I mean, point-blank shots."

[Grahaml]

"The bottom line is, he's our guy," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "The shots he took, I'd give it to him again. I don't know how many shots he missed near the rim -- I mean, point-blank shots."

No surprise really. LA have decided to go with Kobe right till the end. If the coach isn't going to put his faith in that as well then he's got no business being the coach. In the end I guess, these are the guys with massive $$ invested and with more expertise than me. Not going to stop me having my own opinion though.

[Gozu]

"The bottom line is, he's our guy," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "The shots he took, I'd give it to him again. I don't know how many shots he missed near the rim -- I mean, point-blank shots."

Shorter Mike Brown:

"Basically the guy can do what he likes because if I get on his bad side my arse is out the door".

[Grahaml]

Chicago are killing Rose's MVP chances.

[RoosterMarty]

Chicago are killing Rose's MVP chances.

It was pretty unlikely that he would win it anyway due to Lebron dominating and the fact he won it last year. Not too fussed as a ring is next on his list.

It's great to see the Bulls beating another good team without him though. Smashed Orlando today and held them to just 59 points on their home court.

[Dissident]

To be leading the scoring in the league you have to at least be doing something right.

He is safely inside the top 5 for voting at the moment.

[Johno6]

Agreed. Even if he does take a lot of shots. Still need to do something right to avg 29 ppg

[Dissident]

I just had a quick look - it's very hard to find a scoring champ who isn't in top 5 voting for the MVP.

Anyway, the MVP is pretty flawed.

[Turbo]

Off the top of my head I can think of at least 7-8 games Kobe has single handedly cost the Lakers this season. In one game he missed more shots than Gasol & Bynum combined attempted!

He's always been a chucker but having Shaq masked that (over those 8 years together the Lakers actually had a better W/L record when Kobe was out), he kept chucking for a few years after Shaq left too and then when they got Gasol he had to pull his head in and won a couple of championships.

With Phil gone now he's gone back to being the coach killing chucker he was under Rudy T.

A 'coach killing chucker' that surely would be close to front runner for MVP

Turn it up, he'd be lucky to be in the top five in voting.

I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron doubles the amount of votes Kobe will get.

If he leads the league in scoring he'll be in the top 5

[Jim05]

Knicks beat Toronto 106-87
Rockets came from 12 down with 6 minutes remaining to beat the Lakers 107-104
Jazz beat OKC 97-90
Pacers beat Clippers 102-89

[Grahaml]

Agreed. Even if he does take a lot of shots. Still need to do something right to avg 29 ppg

Another example today, Kobe gets his 29 points but loses the Lakers the game by needing 27 FGA to do it. Gasol and Bynum 17/25 and Bryant 10/27 with just 4 assists in yet another narrow loss. I bet opposition coaches love seeing him keep shooting the ball on night like these instead of giving it up to the more dangerous players.

[Jim05]

Agreed. Even if he does take a lot of shots. Still need to do something right to avg 29 ppg

Another example today, Kobe gets his 29 points but loses the Lakers the game by needing 27 FGA to do it. Gasol and Bynum 17/25 and Bryant 10/27 with just 4 assists in yet another narrow loss. I bet opposition coaches love seeing him keep shooting the ball on night like these instead of giving it up to the more dangerous players.

Bynum was ejected just before end of 3rd for his 2nd tech foul.
They seemed to struggle without him and Kobe tried to do too much on his own in the last quarter

[Grahaml]

Agreed. Even if he does take a lot of shots. Still need to do something right to avg 29 ppg

Another example today, Kobe gets his 29 points but loses the Lakers the game by needing 27 FGA to do it. Gasol and Bynum 17/25 and Bryant 10/27 with just 4 assists in yet another narrow loss. I bet opposition coaches love seeing him keep shooting the ball on night like these instead of giving it up to the more dangerous players.

Bynum was ejected just before end of 3rd for his 2nd tech foul.
They seemed to struggle without him and Kobe tried to do too much on his own in the last quarter

The point and the criticism remains. Gasol was 10/14 so why not play more through him? You've got one of your best players, one of the best big men in the league, shooting at over 70% and you don't find a way to get him 20 shots in 36 minutes? 2m 40s between shots for the bloke with the "hot hand" is bad basketball when a guy shooting 37% is taking 27 shots. Are LA going to live and die by Kobe's shooting percentage no matter what? Whatever happened to Kobe wanting to "win at all costs"? Apparently he meant any cost other than him taking less shots.

[mighty hounds]

Agreed. Even if he does take a lot of shots. Still need to do something right to avg 29 ppg

You'd think he could drop 29 points with the amount of shots he takes

[mighty hounds]

The difference between Jordan and Kobe is that if the game was on the line and Jordan had a better option he would pass it. Two times he done that in crucial moments in the nba finals. Kobe would take the selfish option coz he's all about himself.

[the big bang]

The difference between Jordan and Kobe is that if the game was on the line and Jordan had a better option he would pass it. Two times he done that in crucial moments in the nba finals. Kobe would take the selfish option coz he's all about himself.

i'm not saying he dosn't do it a lot, because i know he does. but many times he has given the ball to others, most recently Bynum against the Celtics a couple weeks ago. many a times they went with D-Fish, and who could forget Robert "Big Shot Bobby" Horry back in the day.

last season, he was making all the clutch shots, winning, and being branded one of the best clutch performers in history.
this season, he's missing them, losing, now being branded selfish for taking the shots.

it's a fine line.

[Turbo]

The difference between Jordan and Kobe is that if the game was on the line and Jordan had a better option he would pass it. Two times he done that in crucial moments in the nba finals. Kobe would take the selfish option coz he's all about himself.

i'm not saying he dosn't do it a lot, because i know he does. but many times he has given the ball to others, most recently Bynum against the Celtics a couple weeks ago. many a times they went with D-Fish, and who could forget Robert "Big Shot Bobby" Horry back in the day.

last season, he was making all the clutch shots, winning, and being branded one of the best clutch performers in history.
this season, he's missing them, losing, now being branded selfish for taking the shots.

it's a fine line.

Exactly right. The lakers are going alright. We will see how it ends up